Pump



April 5 1927. 1,623,268

J. w. PRICE E1- Al.

PUMP 4 Filed Jan.2o. 192e 2 sheets-sheet 1'4 AprilA 5, 1927.

J. W. PRICE ET AL PUMP Filed Jan. 20. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToRs {III/I' Price,

JIL/71.' eae,

ATroRNEYs Patented Apr. 5, 1927."

om lsrares ymnu w. rnrcn AND, RreHAnnivLfLnAKnpor'LAnAMin, WYOMING.

PUMB

application inea January e0,. 1'e2'6. seiai five. 82,534.

This invention relates `in general to pumps,v p

.ventingvalves used to permitfilling of `the `and more particularly to a pump especially adapted for use in elevating water by means of Vcompressed air.

l a pump or waterfelevatorof this character whichishighly efficient in that it pumps or elevates a relatively great amount of water with a y maximum consumption of power, which is smooth and balancedin its operation and whicliis 'of simpleand durablefconstruction, reliable in operation and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. The present invention consists in a pump or water `elevator which includes a plurality of tanks submerged in the Vwater to` be pumped or elevated and equipped with check valve controlledjinlets `and with discharge lines leading from the lower portions of the interior of the tanks. Between the t anks' a connection is provided which has vits ends communicating withthe tanks below the maX- imum water level in thetanks.y Anair line leads to the connectionand between the point of communicationwith the air line and the points of communication with the vtanksthe connection has valve seats witli;l which a 'shiftable valve loosely mounted in the connection is alternately co-operable under the influence of water flowing; from one tank to the other.' XVith this arrangement vthe water is exhausted from one tank and then from the other and'wliile the water is being eX- hausted from one Vtank the other tank is being re-filled. In order to preventresistance developing to the filling ofthe tanks venting vmeans are provided in the tanks and preferably are controlled by valves operable from the shiftable valve in the connection so that the actionof` the main elements of the pump and ofthe venting means is co-ordinated.

Other Y,objects and advantages reside lin certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which Vwill be hereinafter more fully described fand particularly pointed out iii .the appended claims, reference'being had to the accoman inO'- dra-wings formin(r a art of-this speciiication,and in which: v l

Figure 1 isa view partly in section and partly vin elevation showing an embodiment vof the invention,\ f f f Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in section |and partly in elevation showing the connection between thetanks and themain ball 4valve operating therein,

Y The yobject of the invention is to provide lligiire 3 is asimilar view of `one of the tanks, and` I Y Figure Lis a similar view showing oneof Ithe check valve controlled inletsand aporcept as hereinafter stated thetanks v1 and 2= are entirely watertight.4 e

- The tanks 1 and 2 have waterinlets 4 whichare controlled by cheek valvesf5 andv 6to prevent backlow ordisc'harge 0f water through tlieinlets. The lwater i"s.sup,

plied to the check Avalvesthroughfa strainer '7 which may be located between the, check valves soas to serve both. a,

Discharge lines 8 and ISlead fromthetanks 1 and. 2, respectively, and each [discharge :gw

line communicates vwith thelower portion of .its tank, communication inthe present instancejbeing 'afforded lthrough vopenings or 4perforations 8a and 9?, respectively. Check `valvesClare incorporated the discharge 4linesantl `above check valves the `dis:l charge'lines 8 and Q-mergeinto a ymain dis-v charge lineD. Y

A. connection, designated generally atlO,

is :provided between the tanksat a point well below. the' maximum water levelin the tanks. This connection is preferably, made Aup `of' yop'- positely inclined sectionsr 1()al `and 10bsuit? -ably, coupled together and suitably connected to the tanks. Asshown in tlie. drawing the tanks-1 and 2 haveopenings 11 andylQ and the ends of the connection lO have openings 13 and 14 which register with thel openings 11 and 12,'respectivelyf- An `air-line, designated generallyatl,

l leads into an intei'i'nedi'ate or central portion of the connection `1 0 and through the air line 15" where pressure ory other suitable lfluid pressure forms from vatankI T or any other suitable source ofqpressure. i

the air 4line-15` with the connection VA1 0- and of communication between the ends of .the

`Between th@ fpOin't of I communication i of" connection and thetank) valve seats 18 and 19 are provided; A ball valveQO is loosely or sliiftably'mounted in theconnection. 10 and is automatically c o-operable withv the valveseats 18 and p19..`

.-:Yeetnameansafe prei/ide@ fr th'tnls and includeshort pipes 21 and 22 communia eating' with the upper ends of the tanks 1 and 2 respectively Yand with compartments 23 and 24 in valve casings 25 and 26, re-

spectively. The compartments 23 and 24 are defined vby means of their respective valve casings 25 and 26 and ported partitions 27 pandr28, respectively. lThe partitions 27,and 28 also define compartments 29 and 30 iny thevalve casings 25 and 26, rej spectively. The compartments 29 and 3() communicate with a `transverse connecting pipev 31 which in turn communicates with a main vent pipe 32. Around the ports of' the partitions 27 and 28 valve seats are formed `and `'spring V'seated valves' 33 and 34 c Vco-act with the seats of the ports of the 'partitions 27 and 28, respectively. vThe valves 33 iand 34 have elongated Vvalve stems v35 'and 36 which are suitably fitted in. guides provided `therefor in valve stem casings 37 and 38, the casings 37 and l ce 3 8 extending between fthe valve casings 25 and 26and the connection 10.

The main vent pipeV` 32 extends downwardly belowfits connection with the pipe 31 `and/connects with ya tubular valve casing 40 extending between the tanks 1 and 2 adjacent vthe lower ends.` The ends of the casing 140 have ports 41'and 42around which valve seats "arefcrmed and `with these valve seats conical valves 43 and 44 co-act. A spring k45 connects the valves 42and 43 and yieldlablyhold them against'the seats with which theyjco-act. lexible elements 46 and 47,

Vsuchas wires, chains, ora-the like, are'v cony nected to the valves 43 and 44 'and to the tanks land 2, respectively, and these flexible i elements are positioned to be engaged and .g and 2, respectively.

depressed by the floats 48 and 49 slidably mounted on guides 50 and 51 inthe; tanks 1 v In starting the apparatus, assuming both tanks are full as they usually would be,v due `to the submersion of the tanks in the water,

'compressed air is suppliedto theairv line 15 I. Aand willdisplace the valve 20 to one end orlthe other of the Vconnection 10,k depending` uponthe position` of thevalve 20 in the connection.V lAssuming the valve 2O y'is displaced 'tothe ilef't as viewed 1in Figure 1 ofthe drawing, itis engaged with the'seat 18 and 'Y this' causes the air under pressure to flow through the openings 1 4 and` 12 into' the tank2 wherein the air displaces thewater i in the tank. At this time the ventingl valve :34 isy closed by its' spring. The venting valve 33 is opened'by the engagement of the the valve 33 is immaterial.

Aball 2O with the lower end ofits stem 35 but in starting up the pump the position of After the water 'has been displaced from ythe tank 2 to such anextent'as .to carry its levell dowirnear the bottom of the tank, thelioat 49 co-acts with the flexible element 47 to open valve 44 and ytank 1.

f operation.

the compressed air exhausts through the valve casing 40, the pressure in the tankA 2 is materially reduced. At this time the tank v1 is full `of water and under the assumed phase of' the operation, the head of water 1n cation between. the connection 10 and the ,i n

The compressed air now -flows into the Vtank l land displaces`y the water therein through the discharge line 8. then the. ball 2O is' engaged with the seat19 it displaces the valve stem 36 upwardly and thereby causes'the valve 34 to ldisengage its seat for the'purpose of' venting thetank'2 and consequently Vpermitting the water in which the tanks are submerged to flow into the tank 2 while the tank 1 is being emptied.

As soon as the water vlevel rises inthe tankV` 2 the float 49 willfdisengage the flexible element y47 and permit theispring 45 to close the rvalve 44.,' The tankV 2 will be filled before the tank l isentirely emptied by virtue of the proper proportioning between the sizes of the inlets 3 and 4 andthe sizes of' the discharge 9 and the openings 11, 12, 13 and vWhile the tank 1 is being emptied the` valve 33 is closed by the'spring.v so as toA prevent the compressed air-escaping through the vent. After each tank is vemptied the headof waterin the otherv tank causes the water to flow from one tank to the other valve 20 resulting inthe reversal of the g In this way first lone and then the other tank filled and emptie'djsojthat a continuous supply 'of water is automatically had. i l

We claim I l. A pump including a rpair of tanks,l

check valve controlled inlets to saidtanks, discharge means for thetanks, an air line, a connection communicatingwith said air line and with both of said tanks at lpoints bel-ow the maximum water level inthe tanks,

la valve member loosely mounted' inthe conn Anection and shiftable therein under the yinfluence of water flowing fromone tank to the other and operable to vcontrol the communication of the air lines with the tanks and venting means associated with thev tanks. g 2. A pump including a plur'ality'of connected tanks, inletmeans lfor the tanks, discharge means for the tanks, a source of fluid under pressure, automatically operable venting means, and meansconnected with lll lli)

the source of fluid under pressure and Iwith i the tanks, said means including a valve operablevby the action of the fluid -underl pressure and by the flow of water from one tank to anothery for controlling the communication betweenpthe source oflluid under pressure andthe tanks. f

3. `A pump including a-pair of' submerged tanks, check valve lcontrolled inlets to said tanks, discliaigelines leading iii'omthe lower .portions ofthe tanks, a connection-4 having f with and the points of communication ot' the connection :with the tanks, ajvalve loosely mounted in the connection `and shii'table therein under the influence of water flowing from one tank to the other, said valve being i 'alternately engaged with the valve seats to control the communication of the air lines and the tanks, and venting means associated with the tanks. i

4. A pump-including a. pair of submerged tanks, check valve controlled inlets to said tanks, discharge lines leading from the 'lower portions of thev tanks, a connectionhaving its ends communicating with the tanks below the maximum water level in the tanks, an air line leading` tothe connection, said connection having valve seats between the point of the communication ot the air line therewith and the points ol' communication of the connection with the tanks, a valve loosely mounted in the connection and shiftable therein under the influence ot' water ilowing from one tank to the other, said valve being alternately engaged with the valve seats to control the communication of the air lines and the tank, venting means to prevent filling of the tanks, and valves controlling said venting means and operated by the shiftable valve of the connection.

5. A pump including a pair of submerged tanks, check valve controlled inlets to said tanks, discharge lines leading-from the lower portions of the tanks, a connection having its ends communicating with the tanks below the maximum water level in the tanks, an air line leading to the connection, said connection having valve seats between the point of the communication of the air line therewith and the points of communication of the connection with the tanks, a ball valve loosely mounted in the connection and shi-ttable therein under the influence of watei flowing from one tank` to `the other, said valve being alternately engaged with the valve seats to control-the communication of` the air lines and the tank,`ventiiig means to prevent filling of the tanks, and valves controlling Isaid venting means and having stems engaged with the ball valve whereby the venting valvesj are automatically controlled.

6. A pump including a pair of tanks, check valve controlledy inlets to said tanks,

discharge means for the tanks, an air line, a

' connection :communicatingwith said;` air line vand'with bothk offsaid ytanks at fpointsbelow the maximum waterxlevel 1in the, tanks, a

valve memberlooscly mounted-in t-hefcon- .-nec'tion and sliii'ta-ble therein @under lthe :inlluence .of ,water A flowing i'ioi'nyoneA tankzft'o i the other and operable to `control thefcoin-f munication of tl'ieiairg-lines with l,theftanks, land automatically operable venting means for reducing the pressure in either tank when 'the water level therein falls below a predetermined point. c

, 7. A pump including a pair of submergedv tanks, check valve controlled inlets to said tanks, discharge lines leading from the lower portions of thev tanks, a 'connection having its ends communicating with the tanks below the maximum lwater level in thev tanks, an air line leading to the connection, sai-d connection having valve seats between the point of communication of the air line therewith and the points of communication of thev connect-ion with the tanks, a main valve loosely mounted on the connection and shiftable therein under the influence of water flowing from one tank to the other, said valve being alternately engaged with `the valve seats to control the communicationof` the air lines and the tank, venting means for permitting lilling of either tank and for reducing the pressure in either tank when the water level falls below .a predetermined point and comprising a main vent pipe,

valve controlled Connections between the up`- per ends of the tank and the vent pipes,` and valve controlled connections having means co-operable with the main valve whereby the l main valve controls the same, a vvalve casing connecting the vent pipe andthe lower ends of the tank, and float-controlled valves for controlling communication between the valve casing and the lower ends of the tank.

8. A pump including a pair of submerged tanks, check valve controlled inlets to said tanks, discharge lines leading from the lower portions of the tanks, a connection made up i iev of oppositely inclined sections and having its ends communicating with the tanks below the maximum water level in the tanks, an

air line leading to the connection, sai-d coni nection having valve seats between the point of the communication ot' the air line therewith and the points of communication ofthe` connection with the tank, a main valve loosely mounted in theconnection and .shiftable therein under the influence of waterfllo'wing from one tank to the other, said valve being i alternately engaged with the valve seats` to control the communication of the air lilies and the tanks, .and ventingmeansl associated with the tanks. 4

9. A pump including check valve controlled inlets to said tanks,

a pair of tanks,

discharge means for the tanks, an air line, a

connection communicating with said .air line fmunicationfof the aiiilines with the tanks, kand;"autnfmtleally operablel venting means for reducing the pressure' in e'itlie "tank when the Water level therein fallsbelow a predetermined point including -spring closed valves, flexible elements connected to ',Saicly Spring closed valves, and 'floats c0-0pemble= with the flexible elements to'o'pen the valves. 'fJOHN W. PRICE.

RICHARD LEAKIQr 

